AU2021221797A1

AU2021221797A1 - Tangential flow material processing chamber and associated material processing system

Info

Publication number: AU2021221797A1
Application number: AU2021221797A
Authority: AU
Inventors: James Barr; Nicholas Berry
Original assignee: Seed Terminator Holdings Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Seed Terminator Holdings Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2021-08-25
Filing date: 2021-08-25
Publication date: 2023-03-16
Also published as: CA3229955A1; WO2023023809A1; EP4391789A1; EP4391789A4; AU2022333544A1; US20240365717A1

Abstract

In one aspect there is disclosed a tangential feed multi surface material processing barrel for a material processing system comprising: a barrel having an axis, an axially extending inlet opening, an axially extending outlet opening which is circumferentially spaced from the inlet opening; the barrel also having an inner surface with a first portion extending circumferentially from a first side of the inlet opening to a first side of the outlet opening, and a second portion extending from a second side of inlet opening to a second side of the outlet opening; wherein the first and second portions of the inside surface are formed with different surface finishes, and material entering the inlet opening flows tangentially about the axis. 19 52 1 54 18 12, 12a 3 16 28 221a, 20b R2 8 FIG 1 44 26 46 10 12, 1 b 500 1612 28 28 26 .FIG 2

Description

1

54 18

12, 12a

3 16

28 221a, 20b

R2 8 FIG 1 44 26

46 10 12, 1 b

500 1612

28

28 26

.FIG 2

TANGENTIAL FLOW MULTI SURFACE MATERIAL PROCESSING BARREL AND ASSOCIATED MATERIAL PROCESSING SYSTEM

TECHNICAL FIELD A tangential flow multi surface material processing barrel and associated material processing system are disclosed. The barrel and system may have applications for processing weed seeds including those contained in chaff. In such an application the barrel and system can be mounted on a combine harvester to process weed seeds simultaneously with harvesting a crop.

BACKGROUND ART Weeds and weed control are, and always have been, one of the biggest constraints and costs to grain production. Weeds are a perpetual problem that limits the food production capacity of agricultural areas around the globe. Weeds compete with the cultivated crops for water, sunlight and nutrients. In the past 50 years there has been a shift from tillage, to the use of herbicides, as being the most valuable tool to control weeds. Herbicides in general give much better control of weeds than tillage methods and do not have the major issues of soil erosion, moisture loss and breakdown of soil structure. The widespread use and reliance of herbicides has resulted in weeds evolving resistance to herbicides. The herbicide resistance is now widespread and presents one of the biggest threats to global food security. Strategies to provide non-chemical weed control to complement herbicides are now paramount to reduce the selection pressure for herbicide resistance. One method of significant renewed interest is destroying weed seeds at harvest time to interrupt the weed cycle.

Many crop weeds share a similar life cycle to harvested crops. Once a crop matures and is harvested, there is a broad range of weeds that have viable seeds remaining on the plant above the cutting height of the harvester. These weeds enter the harvester and their seeds either end up in a grain tank, out with straw residues, or out with chaff residues. There are a range of factors that determine where a weed seed will end up at harvest time including moisture content, maturity, and harvester setup. A major factor that determines where a seed ends up is the aerodynamic properties of the seeds or its terminal velocity. Often a weed seed is much lighter than the grain being harvested. Crop cleaning systems used during harvesting employ a winnowing action to remove light chaff material from the heavier grain using airflow and mechanical sieving. The light weed seeds are caught in the wind and can exit the back of the harvester sieve. The residues and contained weed seeds are then spread on the ground to be a problem for next year. The residues also contain a proportion of grain being harvested that could not be separated by the harvester. This grain loss has the potential to become a volunteer weed after harvest. There is an opportunity to intercept and destroy weed seeds in the residues before allowing them to become a problem for next year's crop.

One method to destroy these weed seeds is to use a milling technology. Milling technology has been used for particle size reduction of a range of feedstock for over a century. Milling technology can be separated into crushing and impact technology.

The most common crushing size reduction technology is the roller mill. Roller mills have been investigated for the purpose of destroying weed seeds at harvest time. Roy and Bailey (1969) US3448933 describe a roller shear mill for destroying weed seeds out of clean grain screenings. Reyenga (1991) US 5059154 describes using a separating device and roller mill to crush foreign matter such as weed seeds. A limitation of the roller mill is the ability to handle the bulk of residue material that contains the weed seeds and thus rely on a separation means to reduce the residue material.

Impact mills use high impact speeds generated by rotating elements to pulverise material. Impact mills have also been of interest for the destruction of weed seeds at harvest.

A widely used type of impact mill is a hammer mill, which uses a rotor with impact elements to pulverise material and a screen to classify the output size distribution. Hammer mills are highly versatile and can accept a wide range of feed materials. Plant material such as crop residues is fibrous and difficult to process. The use of hammer mills to devitalise weed seeds in crop residues has been well documented. The use of hammer mills onboard a harvester to devitalise weed seeds has been subject of multiple patents (e.g. Wallis (1995) AU1996071759 Bernard (1998) FR2776468B1).

An advantage of hammer mills is that in addition to impact, they induce crushing, shear and attrition forces that make them particularly useful for size reduction of fibrous materials. Another advantage of hammer mills is that they often have flexible impact elements that are replaceable and can handle some foreign objects without damage.

A further advantage of the hammer mill is that the screen size controls particle fineness and can then control the proportion of weed devitalisation. Control of output size distribution is particularly valuable in the processing of crop residues where material type and moisture conditions change significantly. Change in material conditions result in still similar output size distribution and weed material processing remains less dependent on material conditions than would be without the use of screens.

A disadvantage of current hammer mills is that the screen which controls particle size distribution determines throughput capacity. In general, to devitalise weed seeds a small screen size is required and hence throughput capacity is limited. A hammer mill with concentric screens of varying sizes has been described by Emmanouilidis (1951) US 2557865. The Emmanouilidis mill has a central impact zone and additional screens are used to separate output material into different size fractions. The inner primary zone in the Emmanouilidis mill still dictates capacity and overall size reduction.

A different type of impact mill is a cage mill. A cage mill applies predominantly impact forces and level of size reduction is set through rotational speed and the number of concentric rows of bars. There is no classification of particle size with a cage mill. The impact forces in a cage mill make them suitable for friable or brittle materials and are not widely used for processing fibrous materials. However, one example is described in AU 2001/038781 (Zani) which is proposed for destruction of weed seeds. The Zani cage mill has concentric rows of impact elements supported by a ring. The mill is driven at high impact speed to destroy weed seeds. The arrangement can be neatly integrated into the harvester. The arrangement however has limited capacity and cannot process the entire chaff residue fraction exiting the harvester's sieve. Therefore, the Zani system relies on sieving to concentrate the weed seeds for processing.

An increased capacity cage mill is described in WO 2009/100500 (Harrington) to handle the whole chaff material fraction to destroy weed seeds. The Harrington mill uses a large counter rotating cage mill that has fan blades similar to Tjumanok et al 1989 (US4,813,619) to increase airflow and capacity. This cage mill is large, heavy, requires a complex counter rotating drive and requires considerable power to operate. The system has its own power package and is towed behind the grain harvester. The size, weight and drive, limits options to integrate the cage mill into the harvester. The mill incorporates cylindrical bars that limit impact speeds because of glancing blows. The impact speed therefore has a large distribution. To get sufficient impact energy into weed seeds requires counter rotation of the cage structures.

The current state of the art for seed destroying mill technology is described in PCT/AU2014/218502 (Berry Saunders). Berry Saunders uses a rotor stator cage mill that is much simpler to integrate into a grain harvester than the counter rotation systems. The Berry Saunders mill provides an advance on the Zani cage mill by improving the throughput capacity and seed kill performance of the mill system. It achieves this by using a central distribution element (also described in Isaak (2003) DE 10203502) and angular static bars that are slanted against the rotation of the rotor. A purportedly novel aspect of the Berry Saunders mill is that the spacing between the angled impact bars determines if a seed will pass through to the next row of impact bars or stay within the current row of impact bars. The size of the seed does not determine if it passes through the row of impact bars or remains.

The relatively simple workings of cage mills which apply predominantly impact and do not use size classification has enabled computer modelling techniques to be used to predict mill performance. The Berry Saunders mill has been optimised using computer modelling techniques to apply the ideal requirements to devitalise weed seeds using impact alone. However, there has been little concern for the airflow component of the power consumption. The rotor bars are narrow with sharp edges resulting in high drag coefficient and turbulence generation. The stator bars are orientated to result in a torque converter or water brake dynamometer like turbulence generation and wasted heat generation.

One disadvantage of this approach is that the stator impact bars take up a lot of space radially. This in turns means that adjacent rows of rotating impact bars are spaced a long way apart. For a weed seed devitalisation mill, or a particle destruction mill for that matter, impact speed is crucial. When impact bars are spaced widely apart the impact speed difference between each subsequent row is significant.

The above references to the background art do not constitute an admission that the art forms a part of the common general knowledge of a person of ordinary skill in the art. The above references are also not intended to limit the application of the material processing barrel and associated material processing system as disclosed herein.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE In one aspect there is disclosed a tangential feed multi surface material processing barrel for a material processing system comprising: a barrel having an axis, an axially extending inlet opening, an axially extending outlet opening which is circumferentially spaced from the inlet opening; the barrel also having an inner surface with a first portion extending circumferentially from a first side of the inlet opening to a first side of the outlet opening, and a second portion extending from a second side of inlet opening to a second side of the outlet opening; wherein the first and second portions of the inside surface are formed with different surface finishes, and material entering the inlet opening flows tangentially about the axis.

In one embodiment the first portion of the inner surface is a textured surface formed with a plurality of valleys or protrusions or both valleys and protrusions.

In one embodiment the second portion of the inner surface is smoother than the first portion of the inner surface.

In one embodiment a radial distance between the axis and first portion of the inner surface is greater and a radial distance between the axis and the second portion of the inner surface.

In one embodiment the textured surface comprises a plurality of axially extending and circumferentially alternating ridges and valleys.

In one embodiment the textured surface comprises a matrix of protrusions and recesses formed in the first portion of the inner surface.

In a second aspect there is disclosed a material processing machine comprising an tangential flow multi surface material processing barrel according to the first aspect and comprising, an impact mechanism rotatably supported to rotate about the axis, the impact mechanism arranged to: impact material entering the inlet opening and accelerate the material toward the first portion of the inner surface; and facilitate a flow of material toward the outlet opening.

In one embodiment the impact mechanism comprises a shaft and a plurality of hammers or flails coupled to the shaft.

In third aspect there is disclosed a material processing system comprising at least two material processing machines wherein each machine has a respective barrel, and wherein the barrels are arranged parallel to each other and side-by-side with an outlet opening of a barrel of a first machine coincident with an inlet opening of a barrel of a second machine and forming a common opening through which material from the first machine can pass to the second machine, and wherein the inlet opening of the first machine forms an inlet of the material processing system, and the outlet of the second machine forms the outlet of the material processing system.

In one embodiment the impact mechanisms of the respective machines rotate in the same direction.

In an alternate embodiment the impact mechanisms of the respective machines rotate in opposite directions.

In fourth aspect there is disclosed a combine harvester having a motor and a separation system for separating a harvested crop into a first material stream comprising straw and a second material stream comprising chaff and weed seeds, the combine harvester comprising: a material processing system according to the third aspect wherein the second stream of the material is directed to flow into the inlet of the material processing system; and a drive system for transferring drive from the motor to the impact mechanisms of the material processing system to cause rotation of the impact mechanisms.

In one embodiment the drive system comprises a shaft which derives power from the motor and a belt and pulley arrangement having one or more belts and one or more pulleys for transferring drive from the shaft to the impact mechanisms.

In one embodiment the drive system is arranged to cause rotation of the impact mechanisms in the same direction.

In one embodiment the drive system is arranged to cause rotation of the impact mechanisms in opposite directions.

In one embodiment the combine harvester further comprises a straw processing system capable of processing the first material stream and discharging a processed first material stream from a discharge location; and wherein the drive transfer system is arranged to transfer drive from the motor to the straw processing system.

In one embodiment the drive transfer system comprises at least one belt arranged to transfer drive from the straw processing system to the material processing system.

In one embodiment the outlet of the material processing system is arranged to discharge material from a location beneath the discharge location of the straw processing system.

In one embodiment the combine harvester comprises a bypass mechanism arranged to cause the second material stream to feed into the straw processing system and bypass processing by the material processing system.

In one embodiment the bypass mechanism comprises a closure mechanism for closing the inlet of the material processing system and directing the second material stream to flow into the straw processing system.

In one embodiment the bypass mechanism comprises a movable portion of a barrel of the material processing system wherein the movable portion is movable between (a) a closed position in which the movable portion forms a continuum of the inner surface from the system inlet to the common opening, and (b) a bypass position wherein the movable portion is displaced to form a bypass opening in a corresponding barrel through which the second material flows into the straw processing system.

In one embodiment the straw processing system comprises a straw chopper.

In one embodiment the straw processing system comprises a straw spreader.

In one embodiment the straw processing system comprises a straw chopper and a straw spreader.

In one embodiment the combine harvester comprises a drive disengagement mechanism arranged to selectively disengage transmission of drive from the motor to the impact mechanisms.

In one embodiment the combine harvester comprises a drive disengagement mechanism arranged to selectively disengage transmission of drive from the motor to the impact mechanisms while maintaining a transmission of drive to the straw processing system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the material processing barrel, machine and material processing system as set forth in the Summary, specific embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to becoming drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a first embodiment of the disclosed barrel tangential flow multi surface material processing barrel and associated material processing system showing mounted on a backend of a combine harvester, and where material processed by the system follows an "S" shaped tangential flow path;

Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a second embodiment of the disclosed barrel tangential flow multi surface material processing barrel and associated material processing system showing mounted on a backend of a combine harvester, but where material processed by the system follows a "W" or "3" shaped tangential flow path;

Figure 3 is a representation of an embodiment of the disclosed barrel tangential flow multi surface material processing barrel and associated material processing system incorporating a bypass mechanism;

Figure 4 is a representation of one possible drive system for driving impact members of the disclosed barrel and associated material processing machine;

Figure 5 is a representation of an alternative drive system for driving impact members of the disclosed barrel and associated material processing machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS The following description of the embodiments of the disclosed tangential flow multi surface material processing barrel 10 (hereinafter also referred to as "barrel" 10) and associated material processing machine 12 and system 14 are made in the context of an agricultural application where the barrel 10, machine 12 and system 14 are mounted on a combine harvester for processing chaff and in particular devitalising seeds (for example, but not limited to weed seeds) in chaffs. For a crop harvested by a combine harvester the chaff may typically comprise a combination of small portions of straw, target grain husks and seeds from weeds or volunteers.

The tangential flow multi surface material processing barrel 10 comprises a barrel like body 16 having an axis 18, an axially extending inlet opening 20 and an axially extending outlet opening 22 which is circumferentially spaced from the inlet opening 20. The inlet opening 20 and the outlet opening 22 may extend for substantially the full axial length of the body 16. The term "tangential flow" is used throughout this specification to describe the direction of flow of material from the inlet opening 20 to the outlet opening 22; in which the material flow is in effect circumferentially with reference to the axis 18 about an inside surface 24 as shown by the "S" shaped line D in Figure 1. The tangential flow may also be termed "circumferential flow". To this end throughout this specification the terminology "tangential flow" and "circumferential flow" may be used interchangeably to describe the same direction of material flow. From this it should be recognised that the direction of feed of material into the inlet 20 to is in the tangential or circumferential direction.

An inner surface 24 of the barrel 10 (i.e., of the barrel body 16) has a first portion 26, in a second portion 28. The first portion 26 extends circumferentially between a first side 30 of the inlet opening 20 to a first side 32 of the outlet opening 22. The second portion 28 extends between a second side 34 of inlet opening to a second side 36 of the outlet opening 22. The first and second portions 26, 28 of the inside surface 24 are formed with different surface finishes.

The first surface portion 26 is formed with a textured surface, the second surface portion 28 being of a smoother finish. Indeed, most conveniently the second surface portion 28 may be smooth. Both of the surface portions 26 and 28 are impervious. Therefore, material entering the barrel 10 cannot pass through either of the surface portions 26 or 28. Rather the material is contained as it passes across the surface portion 26 from the inlet to the outlet.

Another distinguishing feature between the first surface portion 26 in the second surface portion 28 is their respective distance from the axis 18. The radial distance R1 between the axis 18 and the first surface portion 26 is greater than the radial distance R2 between the axis 18 and the second surface portion 28.

In one embodiment the texturing provided in the first surface portion 26 may be in the form of a plurality of ridges or ribs 38 that extend along the first surface portion 26 parallel with the axis 18. The ridges 38 are spaced apart in a circumferential direction forming a sawtooth like pattern or configuration on the surface portion 26 when viewed in the axial direction. The idea here is to form an impact surface against which material entering the barrel 10 from the inlet opening 20 is impacted to cause devitalisation of weed seeds contained in the material. The devitalisation may be achieved by one or more of particle size reduction, fragmentation, fracturing, crushing and milling of the seeds due to impact against at least the surface portion 26.

Due to the texturing of the surface portion 26, for any given arc length about the axis 18, the surface area of the surface portion 26 is greater than that of the surface portion 28. For example, for a 30°arc about the axis 18, surface portion 26 has a greater surface area than a 30°arc of the surface portion 28.

In the illustrated embodiment an impact mechanism 40 is rotatably supported to rotate about the axis 18. The combination of a barrel 10 and the impact mechanism 40 form an embodiment of the material processing machine 12. The combination of two (or more) material processing machines 12 (designated in the drawings as 12a and 12b, but collectively referred to as "machines 12") having their respective barrels 10 arranged parallel to each other and side-by side with the outlet opening of one barrel being coincident with the inlet opening of an adjacent barrel form an embodiment of the material processing system 14. This forms a common opening 42 through which material flows from the first machine 12a to the second machine 12b. Therefore, the material is processed against the surface portion 26 of each of the machines 12. When the surface portion 26 of a barrel 10/machine 12 extends for say 1800 then in the arrangement of Figure 1 the material is in effect processed against a surface extending circumferentially for 360°.

Impact mechanism 40 comprises a shaft 44 that is coincident with the axis 18. A plurality of hammers or flails 46 are coupled to the shaft 44 an extended generally radially outward direction. Due to the differences in the radial distances R1 and R2 the radially distant end of the hammers or flails 46 pass closer to the second surface 28 and the first surface 26. Also, the impact mechanism 40 is driven to rotate in a direction so as to direct material entering through the inlet opening 20 toward and onto the surface portion 26. Due to this combination of features an overwhelming proportion of the material entering through the inlet opening 20 is processed against the surface portion 26 with an insignificant volume of, virtually no, material flowing across the second surface portion 28.

In the illustrated embodiments the barrel 10, machine 12, and system 14 shown is mounted on a combine harvester. The combine harvester comprises a separation system (not shown) for separating harvested crop into a first material stream comprising straw and a second material stream comprising chaff and weed seeds. The form of the separation system is not significant to embodiments of the present disclosure. Any form of separation system to be provided on a combine harvester is suitable for use with embodiments of the barrel 10, machine 12 and system 14.

The combine harvester is also shown with a straw processing system 50. This may include a straw chopper 52 held within a housing 54 with a discharge opening 56. In one scenario the first stream of material is fed into the straw chopper 52, chopping the straw into smaller pieces which are then discharged through the discharge opening 56. The second stream of materials is fed into the inlet 20 of the machine 12a (which also constitutes the inlet 20s of the system 14). This material is impacted by the impact mechanism and accelerated toward, and thus impacted against, the surface portion 26. The material is subsequently directed to the common opening between the machines 12a and 12b. This material is subsequently impacted by the impact mechanism 40 of the machine 12b and against the corresponding surface portion 26.

In this embodiment the impact mechanisms 40 of the machines 12a and 12b rotate in opposite directions. The impact mechanism 40 of machine 12a rotating in a counterclockwise direction with the impact mechanism 40 of machine 12b rotating in a clockwise direction. As a consequence, the material entering system 14 travels in a "S" shaped path as shown by line P1 in Figure 1.

The impact of the material in the second stream by the impact mechanisms 40 and against the surface portions 26 causes devitalisation of weed seeds contained within the second stream. This prevents the weed seeds from germinating when discharged onto the ground. The outlet opening 22 of the machine 12b, which also forms the outlet opening 20s of the system 14, is arranged to discharge the processed second stream of material from a location beneath, i.e. vertically below, the discharge opening 56 of the straw chopper 520. It is believed that this may assist in the overall flow of material from the harvester due to the substantial volume of air generated by the system 14.

The straw processing system 50 may also include a straw spreader (not shown) for receiving chopped straw from the discharge opening 56. When a straw spreader is present it is also possible in an embodiment of the present system 14 to arrange for the processed material exiting from the outlet 22 of the machine 12b to direct the process to the second stream of material into the straw spreader. This can be achieved for example by way of a baffle or plate that can be pivoted by action of an actuator operated from a cabin of the combine harvester, to selectively direct the discharge material either into the straw spreader or to flow openly the straw spreader. When the material discharged from the machine 12b is directed to the straw spreader, then the straw spreader will spread a mixture of the chopped first stream of material (i.e., chopped straw) and the process the second stream of material (i.e., processed chaff having devitalized weed seeds).

Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the disclosed system 14 where the machines 12a and 12b are arranged so that their respective impact mechanisms rotate in the same direction (in this example both clockwise so that the tangential flow of material follows a "W" or "3" shaped path through the system 14, as indicated by the line P2. To achieve this tangential flow path the orientation of the body 16 of the barrel of the machine 12a is rotated through 1800 so that the textured first surface portion 26 is on the right-hand side, while the smooth second surface portion 28 is on the left-hand side. Changing the direction of rotation of the impact mechanism 40 of the machine 12a is very easily achieved by way of pulleys, belts and idlers.

Figure 3 depicts a further variation of the system 14 having one form of bypass mechanism 60 that operates to feed the second material stream (i.e. chaff with weed seeds) into the straw processing 50 in a way to bypass processing, or any substantial processing, by the material processing system 14. Here the bypass mechanism 60 provided by constructing the body 16 of the machine 12a so that the entirety or a part of the first surface 26 can be pivoted between a closed position as shown for example in Figure 1 and an open position shown in Figure 3 where it is pivoted about a pivot 62 away from the axis 18. This creates an opening 64 in the tangential flow path so that material entering machine 12a flows into the straw processing system 50 as shown by line Pb.

However other bypass mechanisms can also be used. For example, a baffle or door may be placed across the inlet opening 20 of the machine 12a which closes the opening 20 and directs the second stream of material into an opening of the straw processing system 50. In this variation the system 14 may also be pivoted for example to pivot or swing the machine 12a away from the straw processor 50 to open a flow path into the straw processing 50.

When embodiments of the machine 12 and system 14 are mounted on a combine harvester, a drive system is provided for transferring drive from a motor (i.e., engine or power source of the combine) to the impact mechanisms 40 to cause their rotation. This can be achieved by use of pulleys, belts and idler, as is common practice and well-known in the art. This end a large number of systems and devices mounted on a combine are driven by any one of many known drive systems that transfer drive or power from the combine harvester motor. For example, as previously mentioned belts, pulleys and idlers can be coupled with a power take off (PTO) of the combine harvester. This may include a jack shaft. The drive systems are possible which incorporate gearboxes, universal joints, and shafts. In another variation drive from the combine motor can be delivered to the straw chopper, and either a single or multiple belts and then be coupled with the straw chopper to deliver drive to the impact mechanisms 40 of the machines 12/system 14.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate a very basic form to examples of drive systems for transferring drive or power from the combine motor to the impact mechanisms 40. In Figure 4 the impact mechanisms 40 are driven by a serpentine belt B1 which also engages a pulley P1 driven by a jack shaft of the combine harvester. In this arrangement the impact mechanisms 40 are driven to rotate in opposite directions. In Figure 5 a belt B2 transfers drive from a shaft of the straw chopper 52 to each of the impact mechanisms 40. Again, in this particular configuration of the belt B2 the impact mechanisms 40 are driven in counter rotating directions. Drive to the straw chopper is provided by a further belt and pulley arrangement (not shown) which may transfer drive from a PTO or jack shaft of the combine.

The specific drive system incorporated in embodiments of the system 14 or a combine harvester on which the system 14 is mounted is not a critical or essential aspect of the present disclosure. Nevertheless, the drive system incorporated is arranged to facilitate specific directions of rotation of the impact mechanisms 40 as described hereinabove. Additionally, the drive system may also incorporate a disengagement mechanism such as, but not limited to a clutch, to selectively disengage transmission of drive to the machines 12/impact mechanisms 40; and /or, the straw spreader 50. This allows for example the combine harvester to operate with the straw spreader 50 running but not the machines 12/system 14.

In a further embodiment the machines 12 can be configured so that the first surface portions 26 (i.e., the textured surfaces) can be moved relative to the axis 18. With reference to Figure 1 this is equivalent to changing the length of the radius R1 and allows the distance between the surface portions 26 and the ends of the hammers/flails to be varied. This in turn allows changing of the degree of aggressiveness of the impacts as well as modifying air flow through the machine.

In the claims which follow, and in the preceding description, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" and variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" are used in an inclusive sense, i.e., to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the system and method as disclosed herein.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. An tangential feed multi surface material processing barrel for a material processing system comprising: a barrel having an axis, an axially extending inlet opening, an axially extending outlet opening which is circumferentially spaced from the inlet opening; the barrel also having an inner surface with a first portion extending circumferentially from a first side of the inlet opening to a first side of the outlet opening, and a second portion extending from a second side of inlet opening to a second side of the outlet opening; wherein the first and second portions of the inside surface are formed with different surface finishes, and material entering the inlet opening flows tangentially about the axis.

2. The barrel according to claim 1 wherein the first portion of inner surface is a textured surface formed with a plurality of valleys or protrusions or both valleys and protrusions.

3. The barrel according to claim 2 wherein the second portion of the inner surface is smoother than the first portion of the inner surface.

4. The barrel according to any one of claims 1-3 wherein a radial distance between the axis and first portion of the inner surface is greater and a radial distance between the axis and the second portion of the inner surface.

5. The barrel according to any one of claims 2-4 wherein the textured surface comprises a plurality of axially extending and circumferentially alternating ridges and valleys.

6. The barrel according to any one of claims 2-4 wherein the textured surface comprises a matrix of protrusions and recesses formed in the first portion of the inner surface.

7. A material processing machine comprising an tangential flow multi surface material processing barrel according to any one of claims 1-6 comprising, an impact mechanism rotatably supported to rotate about the axis, the impact mechanism arranged to: impact material entering the inlet opening and accelerate the material toward the first portion of the inner surface; and facilitate a flow of material toward the outlet opening.

8. The material processing machine according to claim 7 wherein the impact mechanism comprises a shaft and a plurality of hammers or flails coupled to the shaft.

9. A material processing system comprising at least two material processing machines according to claim 7 or 8, wherein each machine has a respective barrel, and wherein the barrels are arranged parallel to each other and side-by-side with an outlet opening of a barrel of a first machine coincident with an inlet opening of a barrel of a second machine and forming a common opening through which material from the first machine can pass to the second machine, and wherein the inlet opening of the first machine forms an inlet of the material processing system, and the outlet of the second machine forms the outlet of the material processing system.

10. The material processing system according to claim 9 wherein the impact mechanisms of the respective machines rotate in the same direction.

11. The material processing system according to claim 9 wherein the impact mechanisms of the respective machines rotate in opposite directions.

12. A combine harvester having a motor and a separation system for separating a harvested crop into a first material stream comprising straw and a second material stream comprising chaff and weed seeds, the combine harvester comprising: a material processing system according to any one of claims 9-11 wherein the second stream of the material is directed to flow into the inlet of the material processing system; and a drive system for transferring drive from the motor to the impact mechanisms of the material processing system to cause rotation of the impact mechanisms.

13. The combine harvester according to claim 12 wherein the drive system comprises a shaft which derives power from the motor and a belt and pulley arrangement having one or more belts and one or more pulleys for transferring drive from the shaft to the impact mechanisms.

14. The combine harvester according to claim 13 wherein the drive system is arranged to cause rotation of the impact mechanisms in the same direction.

15. The combine harvester according to claim 13 wherein the drive system is arranged to cause rotation of the impact mechanisms in opposite directions.

16. The combine harvester according to any one of claims 12-15 further comprising a straw processing system capable of processing the first material stream and discharging a processed first material stream from a discharge location; and wherein the drive transfer system is arranged to transfer drive from the motor to the straw processing system.

17. The combine harvester according to claim 16 wherein drive transfer system comprises at least one belt arranged to transfer drive from the straw processing system to the material processing system.

18. The combine harvester according to claim 16 or 17 wherein the outlet of the material processing system is arranged to discharge material from a location beneath the discharge location of the straw processing system.

19. The combine harvester according to any one of claims 16-18 comprising a bypass mechanism arranged to cause the second material stream to feed into the straw processing system and bypass processing by the material processing system.

20. The combine harvester according to claim 19 wherein the bypass mechanism comprises a closure mechanism for closing the inlet of the material processing system and directing the second material stream to flow into the straw processing system.

21. The combine harvester according to claim 19 wherein the bypass mechanism comprises a movable portion of a barrel of the material processing system wherein the movable portion is movable between (a) a closed position in which the movable portion forms a continuum of the inner surface from the system inlet to the common opening, and (b) a bypass position wherein the movable portion is displaced to form a bypass opening in a corresponding barrel through which the second material flows into the straw processing system.

22. The combine harvester according to any one of claims 16-21 wherein the straw processing system comprises a straw chopper.

23. The combine harvester according to any one of claims 16-21 wherein the straw processing system comprises a straw spreader.

24. The combine harvester according to any one of claims 16-21 wherein the straw processing system comprises a straw chopper and a straw spreader.

25. The combine harvester according to any one of claims 12-24 comprising a drive disengagement mechanism arranged to selectively disengage transmission of drive from the motor to the impact mechanisms.

26. The combine harvester according to any one of claims 16-23 comprising a drive disengagement mechanism arranged to selectively disengage transmission of drive from the motor to the impact mechanisms while maintaining transmission of drive to the straw processing system.

50 14 52 20 10 25 Aug 2021

18 54

12, 12a

56 16 2021221797

P1 28 22a, 20b 22

R2 38 R1 FIG 1 44 26

46 12, 12b 40 10

50 12a 16

28

26

28 P2 26

FIG 2

50 60 62 26 Pb 12a 2021221797

14

12b

FIG 3

P1 2021221797

B1

40

40 B2

FIG 4

52 40

40 FIG 5